Fishin' Photo's = A Lot Of Work

[Traveler2586]

OK, so I never gave much thought to taking photos while fishing. Sure, when I was a kid we might take the 120 roll film Browne Hawk Eye out while trolling for Rock fish on the bay; but that was seldom done, after all, how many pic's of you holding a fish do you want?

Well, here I am, reading forums on the web, and there appears to be an interest in sharing fishin' photo's. So I start toying with the idea in my mind and the next thing I know I'm making a mono-pod for the boat. So long fishin' buddy, you've been replaced by a shaft.

So I take this rig out with me today to give it a shot. I get out to one of my fishin' holes, get my self setup and start fishing.

Now,,, I didn't give much thought to the operational aspects of this deal, I got this nice little remote that all I have to do is point it at the camera and press a button, and then I have my photo! NOT !!

Here I am, holding a poor Bass and find my camera wants me to reset the remote function because I took too long to catch my fish; it's only good for 15 min if not used (Nikon D70). Boy, and I thought my old fishin' buddy was hard on me?!

Now, I've got to run to the back of the boat, with fish in hand, to reset the camera; I get down on both knees and find I can't read the menu display. %$#@!.. I shove the Bass into the live well while I pull the camera to where I can read this tiny little display.%$#@!.. Camera reset... So then I have to splash around in the live well cause the Bass is ticked at my ineptitude over the whole thing. So back to the front of the boat, I strike a pose and press the button,,, finally,,, photo accomplished. I kiss the Bass good by and get back to fishin'.....

Guess what?? Next fish...... I have to do the whole thing over again!!!!!!!! &^%$##@!* camera.

Either I'm as slow and dimwitted as my wife says I am,,, or this is a lot of work for a photo. There has got to be a better way.

Any suggestions???

Cheers, Eric

P.S. And I haven't even touched on the subject of getting my photo's uploaded

[Traveler2586]

Well that's disapointing...... Why are the pic's so small??

[Glenn]

Click on them.

[Fishing Rhino]

Say goodbye to the mono-pod and say hello to your fishing buddy again. Let him take the photos. Heck, when you hook a nice one, he can take a video of the fight, or vice versa, you can photograph or video him.

[Traveler2586]

Say goodbye to the mono-pod and say hello to your fishing buddy again. Let him take the photos. Heck, when you hook a nice one, he can take a video of the fight, or vice versa, you can photograph or video him.

That would be my first choice; a mono-pod can't laugh at you when your trying to get up from all fours. Unfortunately, my friend moved back to his home state when he retired, and I can't find anyone to put up with me, or thinks fishin' in a snow fall is fun.

Until then, I obviously have a lot to learn about fishin' photo's, and I'll keep at it.

I was listening to my fishing log last night and my wife remarked that "with all the huffing-and-puffing going on you [me] sound like the guy on Hook and Look when he's under water I get no respect around here

Good fishin', Eric

[SirSnookalot]

Many of my photo worthy fish are caught at night, caught when I'm alone, caught on land where shleping a tripod is cumbersome. Many of the offshore fish are very active once on board, taking a pic of 40# amberjack on 23' boat can be hard to handle, I'm not doing much in the way photos unless the fish is really special.

[Marty]

There are easier ways. Like setting the camera down somewhere that you have already established will cover the area you want to photograph, setting the self-timer, pressing the shutter and striking your pose. I recommend using the flash to illuminate back-lit subjects and/or filling in shadows when the subject is front-lit or side-lit. There are a couple of other things to do, but I think you get the idea.

[Traveler2586]

I believe, like most other subjects, it will work itself out through practice - time in front of the lens, instead of behind it. I have a new respect for members posting such sharp, and well composed shots.

Lessons learned from my first attempt:

1. Practice, Practice, Practice,,, just preforming an operational test doesn't cut it.

2. Have a mount that is easy to work with. The one I had was hard to remove from the floor socket, so I had to get on all-fours to see what I was doing. Not an easy task after a broken back.

3. Decrease the file size to fit the need, I don't need 11X17's or 8X10's; a 5X7 would be the maximum print size I would need.

Time will tell

I did rework the mono-pod mount to a more functional design, this one will not lock itself into the socket, and has a more positive grasp; but I can't run with it in place.

Good fishin', Eric

[.dsaavedra.]

As soon as I read "trolling for rockfish on the bay" I looked at your location. Knew it had to be Southern Maryland. Where do you fish around here?

[Traveler2586]

As soon as I read "trolling for rockfish on the bay" I looked at your location. Knew it had to be Southern Maryland. Where do you fish around here?

When I was a teen we fished the Gooses out of Deal, MD using an old Bay Build work boat that my neighbor raised from the creek and restored. We would go after Rock, Blues, and bottom fish for Perch and so on. In 84 a friend introduced me to Bass fishing on the Nanjamoy in a plastic Sears 12' rowboat. I haven't been sane since. Today I run the Middle Potomac out of Smallwood State Park with a Ranger 185 DVS with a 150 Merc.

Trolling is coming back.... I just discovered an ole timer by the name of Buck Perry. He's not around any longer but his books are. Buck would teach something called "Spoon Plugging" which is a lot like "Spooning" on the bay. LOL, Wait long enough, and old becomes new again....

Good fishing, Eric